Colt Emerson has a shiny future, and he’s approaching it with a stay-true-to-yourself mindset. Precisely how a lot his identification will evolve is the query. Seventeen months faraway from being chosen twenty second total within the 2023 draft by the Seattle Mariners out of New Harmony, Ohio’s John Glenn Excessive Faculty, the left-handed-hitting shortstop is simply 19 years previous, with all of 94 skilled video games beneath his belt. He has loads of room to develop, along with his below-average uncooked energy being a part of that equation.
Emerson acknowledges that what he’s right now isn’t essentially what he’ll be sooner or later. On the similar time, he doesn’t anticipate altering an excessive amount of.
“I feel I’ve a superb really feel for the kind of participant I’m,” the 6-foot-1, 195-pound infielder informed me in the course of the Arizona Fall League season, the place he slashed a lusty .370/.436/.547. “However I’m additionally not bodily mature but. I’ve extra energy to placed on, and as I continue to grow into it, hitting the identical manner goes to be essential for me. Getting stronger and having the ability to put balls over the fence extra simply doesn’t imply that I must attempt to hit extra dwelling runs. They’re going to come back, simply doing what I do.”
What Emerson presently does is hit line drives with a swing that our lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen has described as “aesthetically pleasing.” Generated by “lightning fast fingers,“ it produced a .263/.393/.376 with for dwelling runs and a 119 wRC+ over 332 plate appearances between Low-A Modesto and Excessive-A Everett. One of many youngest gamers at every degree, he missed time in April with an indirect situation, and in mid-season he was out for a month-plus because of a fractured foot.
Requested if hitting is enjoyable, Emerson answered within the affirmative — “I like being up there competing towards the pitcher” — though he did add a caveat.
“Hitting is tough,” he admitted. “Hitting could be very laborious. You simply must belief your course of. You do what works for you, and if it’s not there that day, it’s simply not there that day, You simply flip the web page to the subsequent sport. A wonderful thing about baseball is that when you could have a nasty day, you get to come back again and have 5 at-bats the subsequent day.”
Thus far in his younger profession, Emerson hasn’t confronted a lot adversity exterior of the 2 accidents. His numbers, together with contact and stroll charges, have been strong, particularly for a participant competing towards mostly-older competitors. A part of the reason being the aforementioned mindset he brings with him to the batter’s field.
“For a younger child studying this, my message could be to not attempt to be something you’re not,” mentioned Emerson, who might be ranked at or close to the highest when our 2025 Mariners High Prospects record comes out. “In case you’re a contact man, don’t attempt to hit dwelling runs. Be your self, realizing that one of the best you are able to do is one of the best you are able to do.”
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RANDOM HITTER-PITCHER MATCHUPS
Ty Cobb went 30 for 52 towards Rollie Naylor.
Joe DiMaggio went 27 for 43 towards Elon Hogsett.
George Brett went 25 for 41 towards Ed Figueroa.
Al Kaline went 23 for 42 towards Chuck Stobbs.
Ted Williams went 21 for 42 towards Artwork Ditmar.
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Guardians starters threw 805 innings this previous season, the seventh lowest complete in MLB, in addition to one of many lowest in franchise historical past. Accidents have been a giant a part of the explanation why. When Cleveland gained the AL Central two years in the past, Shane Bieber and Triston McKenzie mixed for 391-and-a-third of the membership’s 907 starter innings. This 12 months, they mixed for simply 87-and-two-thirds innings, solely a dozen of them by Bieber, who had Tommy John surgical procedure in mid-April.
The low-budget Guardians have been nonetheless in a position to win 92 video games and go on to play October baseball — an elite bullpen deserves a lot of the credit score — however can they fairly count on to return to the postseason with out extra manufacturing from the beginning employees? I requested that query of Chris Antonetti finally month’s GM Conferences
“I don’t know, however I’m not trying to take a look at it,” Cleveland’s President of Baseball Operations replied. “That’s not the objective. Our objective final 12 months wasn’t to have [a low number of] starter innings, it’s simply the way in which our season advanced. We needed to adapt to determine easy methods to win in gentle of what was occurring round us.”
Getting Bieber again will assist — the righty turned a free agent however has reportedly agreed to return on a one-year deal — though he probably gained’t be game-ready till early summer time. In the meantime, McKenzie’s latest observe document makes him something however a positive guess, and postseason stalwart Matthew Boyd is now a Chicago Cub, having departed through free company. Discovering a solution to meaningfully enhance starter innings might be a problem for Antonetti’s membership, one thing he readily acknowledges.
“In a great world, we’ll [get more],” the manager informed me. “Now, whether or not or not that’s attainable, and if it might lead us to being one of the best workforce… that’s what we’ll have to determine.”
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Mike Rizzo cited well being once I requested him about his group’s pitching growth priorities.
“I feel our primary standards is the protection and longevity of the pitcher,” mentioned the Washington Nationals GM. “We do the whole lot in our energy to do what’s proper for his or her arm well being and longevity. Meaning tweaking deliveries, utilizing our expertise — frame-by-frame images, and all of the expertise methods that assist maintain these pitchers on the sphere — as a result of that’s what it’s all about.
“We tweak pitchers; we don’t overhaul pitchers,” added Rizzo. “Once we see one thing that we predict is harmful, it’s our job to do what’s proper for the pitcher and maintain him as wholesome as attainable. Everybody desires to throw laborious, and everybody desires to overlook bats. If we chase that, we now have to chase it within the healthiest method attainable. We’re at all times drafting and creating stuff, and pure stuff is healthier than chasing synthetic stuff. In case you have the potential of doing it naturally, that’s much less taxing in your arm.”
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A quiz:
Which pitcher in Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers franchise historical past has probably the most seasons main the senior circuit in strikeouts? [A hint: he was named NL MVP in one of those years.]
The reply may be discovered beneath.
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NEWS NOTES
The Miami Marlins have employed Brian Plunkett to steer their newly created Baseball Options division, inside the R&D division. The Harvard College graduate has spent the final 5 years with the Philadelphia Phillies group.
The Baltimore Orioles have employed Tim Federowicz to handle their Triple-A affiliate, the Norfolk Tides. The previous catcher was on the helm of Detroit’s Triple-A affiliate, the Toledo Mud Hens, this season.
Al Fitzmorris, who pitched primarily for the Kansas Metropolis Royals in a profession that spanned the 1969-1978 seasons, died earlier this month at age 78. The proper-hander was at his greatest from 1974-1976, logging 44 wins and a 3.14 ERA whereas averaging 217 innings over that stretch. For these of you’d prefer to be taught extra about Fitzmorris, I interviewed him for Baseball Prospectus again in 2009.
Gail Henley, an outfielder who went 9-for-30 with a house run whereas taking part in in 14 video games for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1954, died late final month at age 96. Henley went on to handle within the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers programs from 1961-1983. He additionally spent a number of years as a scout.
Invoice Melton, a 3rd baseman who spent the primary eight of his 10 big-league seasons (1968-1977) with the Chicago White Sox, died earlier this week at age 79. A right-handed-hitting slugger who went to develop into a broadcaster, Melton belted 33 homers in each 1970 and 1971. Within the latter of these campaigns he went deep on the ultimate day to interrupt a three-way tie with Norm Money and Reggie Jackson for probably the most dwelling runs within the junior circuit.
The Main League Baseball Gamers Affiliation’s eight-member govt subcommittee was introduced on Wednesday. It contains Chris Bassitt, Jake Cronenworth, Pete Fairbanks, Cedric Mullins, Marcus Semien, Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal, and Brent Suter.
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The reply to the quiz is Dazzy Vance, with seven. The proper-hander led the Nationwide League in strikeouts every year from 1922-1928. His MVP award was in 1924 when he went 28-6 with a 2.16 ERA.
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Clay Holmes will reportedly vie for a spot within the New York Mets beginning rotation subsequent 12 months after having pitched solely out of the bullpen since his 2018 rookie season with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The second of his 4 big-league begins was one of many outings the 31-year-old right-hander introduced up once I requested him which he considers to have been one of the best video games of his life, at any degree.
“I feel I had two no-hitters in highschool,” mentioned Holmes, who hails from Slocomb, Alabama. “In a type of I used to be an out away from an ideal sport, walked a batter, then bought the final out. In my first big-league win, I threw six shutout innings towards the Brewers. I’d must say these in all probability stand out probably the most.”
Holmes, who has agreed to a three-year contract with the Mets after spending three-plus seasons within the Bronx, additionally introduced up a playoff win Slocomb Excessive Faculty had over the number-one workforce within the state. He remembers pitching properly that day, though “It wasn’t a loopy stat-line sport or something like that; I gave up a run or two.”
For sure, the Mets might be very happy to get these kinds of performances from their latest acquisition.
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Nick Pivetta was predictably participating when answering a query I posed to him on the ultimate weekend of the season. From my expertise, the 31-year-old right-hander is normally greater than prepared to supply his ideas on pitching. On this case, he threw me a little bit of a curveball. As I’d finished with a number of different hurlers, I requested Pivetta what he feels is the worst pitch he threw all season.
“I’ve a worst sequence of pitches,” replied Pivetta, who’s now a free agent following four-plus seasons with the Boston Crimson Sox. “It was towards the A’s. I neglect precisely how I bought there, however I walked the bases loaded, then gave up a hard-hit double for 3 runs. Then I proceeded to strike out the subsequent eight guys. So, it was the worst sequence adopted by one of the best sequence. We ended up dropping the sport [5-2].”
The inning in query started with a fly out, an infield single, and a strikeout, after which Pivetta surrendered one other single, a pair of walks, and the two-base hit.
“It was poor fastball command,” the considerate righty mentioned of the damaging sequence. “I bought behind. [Lawrence Butler] got here up and I threw him a fastball middle-away that I by no means ought to have thrown. It went proper down the center and he hit it off the wall for a double.”
Poor location wasn’t the only real motive the pitch to Butler was squared up.
“A fastball wasn’t the correct pitch there,” recalled Pivetta. “I ought to have thrown a curveball. I’m positive if I had executed the pitches I wanted to execute in that spot, or simply not walked the blokes earlier — all the rubbish that occurred — it in all probability would have turned out manner higher. So, for me it’s extra of a sequence. I don’t suppose it’s ever one pitch. It’s the sequence of issues that occur.”
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FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Ben Ferrer is 3-1 with a 2.95 ERA and 19 strikeouts over 18-and-a-third innings for the Australian Baseball League’s Sydney Blue Sox. The 25-year-old erstwhile Oregon State Beaver went 10-4 with a 4.35 ERA this summer time with the unbiased Pioneer League’s Yolo Excessive Wheelers. He hasn’t performed affiliated ball.
Austin Murr is slashing .360/.439/.620 with one dwelling run in 56 plate appearances for the Blue Sox. The 25-year-old outfielder within the Detroit Tigers system had 10 dwelling runs and a 122 wRC+ between Excessive-A West Michigan and Double-A Erie.
Jordan Lawlar is slashing .237/.315/.355 with three dwelling runs in 108 plate appearances for the Dominican Winter League’s Tigres del Licey. The 22-year-old infielder is No. 1 on our recently-released Arizona Diamondbacks High Prospects record.
Luis Matos is slashing .313/.356/.548 with eight dwelling runs in 191 plate appearances for the Venezuelan Winter League’s Tiburones de La Guaira. The 22-year-old outfielder had a 60 wRC+ over 156 PAs for the San Francisco Giants this seasons, in addition to a 91 wRC+ over 375 PAs with the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats.
Guillermo Moscoso has thrown 22-and-a-third innings for the Venezuelan Winter League’s Tigres de Aragua and has allowed simply two runs. The 41-year-old right-hander pitched in MLB from 2009-2013, most lately with the San Francisco Giants.
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A random obscure former participant snapshot:
Ernie Koob’s long-ago profession included his throwing the primary of two St. Louis Browns no-hitters on consecutive days. On Might 5, 1917, the southpaw held the Chicago White Sox with no hit, then Bob Groom adopted go well with the next day towards the identical workforce within the second sport of a double-header. (Of be aware, the White Sox went 100-54 that 12 months and gained the World Collection.) The no-no got here in one in every of simply 23 wins Koob was credited with in his four-year MLB tenure. He did have one different notable accomplishment. In 1916, the Keeler, Michigan native went 0-for-41 on the plate, but had a .268 OBP thanks to fifteen walks. No participant in historical past has had extra walks in a single season with out recording a success.
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LINKS YOU’LL LIKE
MLB.com’s Jim Callis, Sam Dykstra, and Jonathan Mayo teamed as much as profile one intriguing Rule-5 candidate from every workforce.
Which Milwaukee Brewers beginning pitcher has had one of the best single season in franchise historical past? Paul Dietrich delved into that query at Brew Crew Ball.
What’s the that means of baseball playing cards? David Russell shared his ideas at SABR’s Baseball Card weblog.
MLB groups now face new competitors for expertise: school packages awash with cash. Noah Furtado wrote about it for The Athletic (subscription required).
At Sox Machine, James Fegan wrote about how John Donaldson was a trailblazing Negro League star and a Chicago White Sox scout, but Corridor of Fame recognition has eluded him.
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RANDOM FACTS AND STATS
Luis Tiant is s the one pitcher within the fashionable period (since 1901) with a number of streaks of 4 consecutive shutouts. Tiant turned the trick with Cleveland in 1968, and once more with Boston in 1972.
Kirby Puckett performed in 1,783 video games and had a 122 wRC+, and 44.9 WAR.Duke Snider performed in 1,752 video games and had a 142 wRC+, and 53.2 WAR.Dick Allen performed in 1,749 video games and had a 155 wRC+, and 61.3 WAR.
Dave Parker had 2,712 hits, 339 dwelling runs, 154 stolen bases, and 41.1 WAR.Torii Hunter had 2,452 hits, 353 dwelling runs, 195 stolen bases, and 42.9 WAR.
Danny Jansen has gone 25-for-158 (.158) with 4 dwelling runs towards the Tampa Bay Rays. He has gone 23-for-61 (.377) with six dwelling runs towards the Texas Rangers.
In 1924, George Sisler had 194 hits and 31 walks for the St. Louis Browns. In 1888, Yank Robinson had 94 hits and 118 walks for the St. Louis Browns.
The San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals made an 11-player commerce on right now’s date in 1980. Rollie Fingers, Terry Kennedy, and Gene Tenace have been amongst these switching groups within the Winter Conferences swap.
Barry Bonds signed as a free agent with the San Francisco Giants on right now’s date in 1992. The would-be Corridor of Famer had gained two MVP awards and slugged 176 dwelling runs in seven seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He went on to win 5 MVP awards and slug 586 dwelling runs n 15 seasons with San Francisco.
Gamers born on right now’s date embody Ed Brinkman, a slick-fielding shortstop who logged over 6,600 plate appearances from 1961-1975 regardless of a .224/.280/.300 slash line and a 64 wRC+. Later a big-league coach and minor-league supervisor, Brinkman performed his first 10 seasons with the Washington Senators, and the subsequent 4 with the Detroit Tigers. He hit 14 of his 60 profession dwelling runs in 1974.
Additionally born on right now’s date was Razor Ledbetter, a right-handed pitcher whose MLB profession comprised one sport, and one scoreless inning, for the Detroit Tigers in 1915. In between, the Rutherford School, North Carolina native — his given identify was Ralph Overton — had a 26-win season for the Charlotte Hornets in 1914 and a 25-loss season for the Cellular Sea Gulls in 1916.
Groups within the 1904 Iowa League of Skilled Baseball Golf equipment included the Fort Dodge Gypsum Eaters, Ottumwa Standpatters, and Waterloo Microbes. Bugs Raymond, who went on to pitch for the Detroit Tigers, St. Louis Cardinals, and New York Giants went 19-7 for the Microbes. (Raymond’s tumultuous life, which included alcoholism and brawls — he died of a fractured cranium after being assaulted with a bat — is chronicled on the SABR BioProject.)
